I have always loved chairs, since I can remember they are the single item of furniture I would be prepared to spend a month's salary (and more!) on.
This is a bit of a homage to my favourite ones.

Wednesday, 11 March 2009

Fares Please!

I'm not ashamed to admit that I cried on the day the last Routemasters made their journeys round London.

Ok, I'd been to a press show and had a little champagne but as I boarded the last ever southbound 159 (Marble Arch - Streatham Bus Garage) I felt incredibly sad.

The Routemaster was iconic feature of London, as much as Buck Palace or 10 Downing St, so much so that on my boyfriend's first trip to central London, he insisted on jumping on one going down the Strand, just for the hell of it.

But the Routemaster meant a lot more to me than just being another tourist attraction.

As a lowly and very badly paid editorial assistant, it was my main way to get into central London. I couldn't afford the tube or train, so instead would board the 159 at some ungodly hour and travel on this rickety, freezing or boiling vehicle (the temperature controls it seemed had never worked) and make my way from seemingly-suburban Streatham to the flashing lights and glamour of Piccadilly Circus.

Please forgive me my indulgent trip down memory lane, there is a reason for it.

That being, I adore, love and immediately had a nostalgic yearning for this deckchair.

It's from fabulous interiors site Pedlars and designed by Tony Davis. It's made from a selection of original Routemaster destination blinds which actually rotate on the chair so you can choose what destinations you display.

What a piece of genius and a wonderful way to remember these iconic friends of London.